Ian Robertson, Councillor RMBC

AGMA (Association of Greater Manchester Authorities) has just launched the formal consultation on the bid for Phase 1 of the TIF (Transport Infrastructure Fund). This is the bid that initially implements the proposed massive changes in city travelling, with congestion charging being the controversial element. The consultation runs till the end of July.

It has answered a number of the queries I had in my last entry, is remarkably comprehensive but there's still an awful lot of detail to be filled in.

Why 2012? Because that's when, planners believe, that increasing congestion will start to affect the jobs. There will be so much disruption that businesses will upsticks and move elsewhere.

There will initially be two rings: one being the M60, and an inner ring nearer the city centre. You pay when you cross the ring in the direction of peak flow at peak times. At all other times there is no charge. The outer ring will be £2 in the morning and £1 in the evening for cars, and the inner ring £1 for both morning and evening busy periods. The charges for commercial vehicles will be 'cost neutral'.

The bid is for nearly £3 billion, of which 80% will be spent before charging begins. What's the benefit for Middleton? Not that much compared with say Rochdale. We will only improved journey times at peak periods, and maybe improvements at Mills Hill station. Rochdale gets Metrolink, a new bus station and a new rail station.

Thats what's on offer.